Lining pad



March 12, 1929. A. M. PSOHLMAN LINING PAD Filed Aug. s, 1927 v gym/Moi A HrhurMPohlmafn Patented Mar. 12, 1929.v p

UNITED STATES 1,705,267 PATENT oFI-flcE.

ARTHUR MILTON POHLMAN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

LINING PAD.

Application led August 8, 1927. Serial No. 211,316.)

My invention consists of a liner or pad for placing within boxes which are to receive perishable products, which are likely to be injured by bruising, such, for` instance, as fruits.

The object of my invention is to provide a` cheap and convenient lining pad, which will prevent injurious bruises uponthe contents and which will also permit eil'ective ventilation of the contents of the box.

-In the accompanying drawings I have shown a pad or lining having a construction which is typical of my invention, and the manner of placing it in a box.

Figure 1 is a cross sectional View of a box having lining pads, as contemplated by my invention.

Figure 2 is a face View of the main pad used, the inner face being uppermost.

Figure 3 is an end edge view ofthe same pad.

A very largevolume of the commercial fruit crop is shipped in boxes, muchof it for long distances and under conditions where it must be handled many times during transit. Such handling is never character* ized by gentleness, and is often so rough as to seriously bruise the fruit, causing decay .before it is consumed.

For illustrating my invention and the manner of its use, I have chosen a box such as is used orshipping apples or pears, and will describe it as used in such boxes. It is, however, to be understood that there is no intention that it shall be limited to these products only. Y

A standard apple or a pear box has two heads l, two boards 2 forming two opposite sides, and bottom and top boards 3. Thev sides 2 are usually composed each of al single board, and the top and the bottom each of two thinner boards. The width of these boards is such as to provide a Ventilating crack at each of the vlonger corners of the box, and usually a central Ventilating crack between the two boards 3 forming the top and bottom.

As a material for making my pad, I have chosen and illustrate corrugated paper, because of its ,inherent flexibility coupled withhigh crushing strength, and because of the cheapness and availability of this product and the ease of fabricating it, and also of positioning it withinl the box. The type of corrugated paper which I contemplate to use mainly is that which has one plain or smooth layer and onecorrugated layer cemented together. This gives one smooth face, whichface would be placed inward in the box to contact with the fruit.

In Figure 2, I have shown the main pad. This pad 4 has a central section 40 of a size determined by vthe size of the box bottom, and two attached wings 41 which are designed to cover the face of the box sides 2, and perhaps extend slightly beyond either edge of such sides.

The sides 41 fhinge along the lines 43. Along each hinge line 43 Ventilating slots 42 are provided. Preferably, these extend the major part of the length of the-box, enough uncut material being left at each end to form a substantial connection with the bottomsection, this being also preferably at the ends as shown at 43 in Figure 2.

The top pad 5 is made of the same material and is of a size corresponding substantially withperhaps slightly wider than the bottom section 40. Both top and bottom sections are also preferably provided with a centrally located slot 44 adapted to register with the crack between the two box boards 3, 3.

In using m'y pad, the main pad is placedin the empty box. The fruit is then placed in the box and on top is placed the top pad 5. The cover boards 3-3 are then secured.

A box of fruit sofpacked bulges slightly, but the fruit therein is surrounded on all four sides with a pad which will yield slightly under pressures which will not injure the fruit. It will protect the fruit from injury due to rough handling and, because of the Its use will more than repay its cost in they superior condition of the fruit when delivered to the consumer. Inasmuch as it spaces the fruit from the edges of the top and bottom boards 3, preventing direct contact therewith, it also prevents damage to the fruit from edge cuts.

being cut apart throughout their central portions, the bottom may yield outwardly when pressure is applied, permitting bulging, such as is common practice and as has been indicated in Figure l by the outwardly displaced positionfof the boards 3 at their point ot section relative to the edges of the head l. The slot 42 may be of quite material width,

as shown, or very narrow. The purpose of The bottom and side sections 40 and 41l l ural resistance of the material to folding will hold the side sections against the box sides, said, sections correspondlng generally with the sizes of the bottom and sides, re-.

spectively, of the box for which it is intendv ed, and said pad having openings freely open at all times and extending along and of substantially the length of the axis of the hinges between the bottoni and side sections.

2. A protective pad for insertion as a lining for fruit boxes, comprising a .sheet of cushion-like material having transverse and longitudinal stiii'ness, and adapted to be folded to form a bottom and two side sections hingedly connected, whereby the natural resistance of the material to folding will hold the side sections against the box sides, said sections corresponding generally with the sizes of the bottom and sides, respectively, of the box for which it is intended` said pad having Ventilating openings including the lines of hinge between said sections.

3. A protective pad for lining boxes in-.

tended for receiving perishable products, comprising a sheet of `corrugated paper creased to fold and thereby form a central bottom section and two side sections, said sheet having a Ventilating slot generally coinciding with each line of fold, and a third Ventilating slot located centrally between said lines of fold.

4. A protective pad for lining boxes, as in claim 2, the central section having a ventilating slot located centrally between the two lines of hinge, and in combination with such a pad, a top sheetof a size substantially corresponding with the box top, and likewise having a ventilating slot located between its edges.

5. A cushioning pad for lining fruit boxes and the like, having three sections'hinging on their adjacent and parallledges, and of a size corresponding with, respectively,

the bottom and the two sides of the box for which it is intended, said p ad having slots extending'lengthwise of the-adjoining edges of the three sections, said slots beinglpo'sitioned to include between their ends portions of the axis of the respective hinges between the bottom and side sections.

6. In combination with. a fruit box having end walls, side walls, and a bottom spaced at'its edges from the side wallsto leave a *Ventilating crack, a cushion-like pad having characterized by the fact that the putermost pad sections are slightly wider than the corresponding sides of the box.

8. The combination expressed in claim 6,- and a cover for said box of a width to leave a Ventilating crack between the upper edges of the sides and itself, and a pad positioned immediately beneath the cover and of a width to leave a space at each side, corresponding to the upper Ventilating cracks, between itself and the side sectlons of the three-section pad.

9. The combination expressed in claimt, the box sides and bottom having limited yieldability, and bulging outwardly between the ends under internal pressure, and the slots in the pad extendinfr from adjacent one end to/adjacent the other end, whereby the intermediate portions of the several sections are free to bulge with the box elements.

Signed at Seattle, Kin County, Washington, this 30th dayof J y, 1927. l l

ARTHUR MILTON POHLMAN. 

